New Insight Blog Series: 10 Reasons to Celebrate the Tiny Team!
As a client-side insight person I sometimes wished I was allowed to hire more team members. I envied the large insight functions of those ‘Tier 1’ global companies who could afford dozens if not hundreds of researchers, lent on tried and tested insight processes, and had the means to invest in technology.
But over time I came to realise that my tiny team - ranging from 1 to 4 people at different times - had advantages all of its own. And now as a ‘boutique’ (let’s say) insight agency I’m particularly inclined to celebrate and support tiny teams everywhere, for so many reasons:
There’s potential for enhanced strategic focus by necessity. Every bit of time and money you invest has to truly drive the organisation (ditch those weekly tracker reports!).
You know everything that really matters. For that matter, so does the rest of the team.
A related point: it can be easier to speak with one voice.
The need for versatility across topics and approaches can result in more organic career development and succession discussions.
Everyone in the team gets exposure and the chance to make an impact.
ROI/impact ‘per head’ is greater.
Where hierarchy is minimised, team spirit can be phenomenal.
You may be less shackled by processes or set ways of doing things.
Some find reward in being seen more like business experts than insight experts.
It can result in more external focus to keep on top of industry developments, since best insight practices are less likely to be established internally.
It’s true of course that these benefits are not the categorical preserve of the tiny team, nor are all tiny teams able to realise them. But the tiny team does have a powerful opportunity, and if you play it right you can create internal competition for your limited but brilliant resource which may even encourage stakeholders to up their game.
In a future post I’ll be exploring, with help from some wise insight gurus, how to circumnavigate the downsides of being a tiny team. If you’re interested in contributing your perspective on the challenges or solutions for a tiny team, I’d love to hear from you.
With thanks to Suzanne Lugthart for her valued input.